Write a paragraph in which you identify and analyze the universal themes in BOTH stories. Cite specific universal themes and give details from the stories to support your analysis. Explain how these universal themes help readers understand and appreciate modern stories.
The story “The Invisible Red String” is about a girl named Jun-Li, who has to be sold by her family so that they may live, because they have little money and food. A matchmaker, called Moi-Yun stopped by the farm later that night. Her family sold her to the Moi Yun to be her assistant. One day, as Jun-Li was observing the Moi Yun, she had asked what her secret to matchmaking was. She explained that when a boy and girl are destined to be together, they have an invisible red string ties at the bottom of their feet, and they will end up together, no matter what. The Moi Yun teaches Jun-Li her techniques for matchmaking, they continue to work together, when one day a woman comes to the Moi Yun desperate for help. She says that her son has unreasonable standards! He wants a girl that is interested in the works of scholars, like to go on long walks, and unbound feet. Moi Yun realizes that Jun-Li happens to meet these standards. Using the excuse of being old, she sends Jun-Li to tell the boy that there is no woman who meets his standards. When she sees the room the boy is in, she begins to read some of the scrolls aloud. He is immediately mesmerized, and says that Jun-Li is the one. She immediately tells him that she was only here to deliver a message, and that the one you seek may be in front of you, and that you must know when to follow your heart. After saying this Jun-Li realizes that the advice was for her. The prince reaffirms that she is one in his heart. He proposes, and the mother sees, She is iimmediately wanting to protest, however she then realizes after seeing her sons smile why the Moi Yun sent Jun-Li.
Story #2
The story “Message In A Bottle” is about a man named Christopher Dooley aka Christy, as his mother called him; living in Ireland with his mother, father, and younger sister. He had a condition that curled his back, making him what his father called a cripple. His father had great distaste for him, and had nothing to offer him. His mother who loved him dearly, took in extra jobs from the nieghbors and saved up money to buy him a St. Christopher necklace, to wear. E was 15, and seeing the way his father mistreated his mother, and the awful situation she was in, he figured he would go to America to strike it rich, for he thought people there wouldn’t mind his back. On the way to the dock, he met a lad who went by Blackie. He had been saving up for several years working hard to earn money for a ticket. After talking the two quickly became friends. Blackie told Christy of he could manage to sneak on the ship, that they would stick together, even in America. In return, Christy would teach him about reading and writing. And so Christy did just that. He had managed to sneak on past a large family, and made it on. Blackie protetected Christy during the whole ride, and they stregnthened their friendship during the boat ride. One morning, the boat appeared to be sinking. Blackie hurriedly awoke Christy, and told him the ship was in danger. Christy, immediately thinking of his mother, had Blackie drink the rest of his liqor, wrote a note, and put it in the bottle along with the medal she had bought him. What happened to them is up to speculation, however, the ship crashed and never made it to America.